


Bunny Boy

by Emono



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, Ref!Mitch, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 05:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12928812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emono/pseuds/Emono
Summary: Matt absolutely falls for the new ref assigned to Leafs games. The guys rib him good but he's helluva protective of this adorable thing.





	Bunny Boy

Matt didn’t pay a lot of attention to refs unless they were trying to pull him off a guy who deserved an ass beating. He usually just did his job and let them do theirs and when they crossed paths he put up a good bark. He was an enforcer on the Toronto Maple Leafs, he kind of always got into fights. His best players were smaller guys and he’d been taken from the Rangers to protect them. It was kind of a given that he was going to get a lot more penalties but that was kind of why he was there. And when it came to romance he really, _really_ didn’t get involved with the people he worked with.

 

This was kind of an accident.

 

It was a hard race for the puck. The Sabres weren’t giving an inch but the Leafs wanted it more, Matt was sure of it. He could taste victory between his grit teeth. They were up by one in the third period and he was sure they could pull it off. He needed to get the puck across the rink to give his boys a chance at the net. Kaleta was playing rough tonight and Matt knew he had, at the very least, a bruised rib. And that was exactly who was chasing him down after the puck. The ref was struggling to keep up with them. The three of them were going head-first toward the boards.

 

Somewhere down the ice a whistle blew for a high stick. Kaleta gave him a nasty elbow but ultimately reacted faster, cutting his skates and pulling off. His wide shoulder knocked against the ref and threw him off balance with an indignant squawk. 

 

Matt didn’t think much of tossing his stick and gloves and whirling around toward the ref. He was a slim little thing and was windmilling like crazy to keep from falling. Matt scooped him up in his arms bridal style and cradled him protectively as he took the blow to the boards. The reinforced glass rattled and shook behind them but Matt took the full force of impact without a flinch. He held on tight to the ref and the man threw his arms around his neck for balance, minding his bladed feet.

 

Matt looked down into the ref’s face and his heart started fluttering. The ref blinked owlishly at him and then his face exploded into a beautiful blush. He had clear blue eyes and a rose pink mouth, and his smile was all teeth but he found it incredibly endearing. He was painfully young and he fit like a dream in Matt’s arms. 

 

“Hey,” Matt panted. He hefted the man pointedly. “Jeeze, you’re a tiny little thing.”

 

“No I’m not!” the man protested. His name tag said ‘Marner’. “I’m just not a seven foot tall hockey player. Put me down.”

 

“What’s your name?” Matt insisted. 

 

“Mitch,” the ref replied, still red as he squirmed. “Come on, Martin, put me down.”

 

“Are you new? I’ve never seen you before,” Matt awed, shamelessly memorizing his cute face. “Are you doing Leafs games? I’d really, really love to have you at all my games.”

 

Mitch looked like his whole head was going to burst from how much he was blushing. 

 

“Marty!”

 

Matt’s head shot up to see Bozak frowning and shaking his head at him. “Let the kid go before we get a delayed game penalty, Squatch.”

 

Matt pouted down at Mitch and hefted him again. “But we’re friends!”

 

“Please?” Mitch huffed. It was such a sweet little noise that he couldn’t help but obey. He gently set Mitch back down on the ice and kept a hand on his lower back as he got his footing. Mitch was so warm through his striped shirt and Matt wanted to wrap him up in his arms again, maybe take off his helmet and see if his hair was fluffy.

 

Mitch straightened his shirt and helmet, clearing his throat. “Thank you.”

 

“Anytime,” Matt promised. “The saving thing, I mean. Next time I might not be able to let you go.”

 

Mitch flustered as Matt winked at him. 

 

o0o

 

“Did you guys see him?” Matt gushed in the locker room. Willy and Auston rolled their eyes at him. “He has to be the cutest ref I’ve ever seen. He can’t be more than twenty-two, right?”

 

“It’s great they’re letting kids call our games,” Connor griped, though he was hiding his smile at how his teammate was obviously smitten with the kid. 

  
“He’s so _light_ ,” Matt marveled. He held out his arms and flexed them like he was still holding Mitch again. “God, he’s just this...this tiny little bunny. It was nothing picking him up.”

 

Anderson and Rielly caught each other’s eyes across the locker room and mouthed ‘ _bunny?_ ’ at one another with exasperation. 

 

Matt plopped down on the bench with a dreamy smile. He really hoped they’d see Mitch more.

**Author's Note:**

> Will write more if requested, suggestions open <3


End file.
